Thursday, September 15, 2022

Bart and the Brats - self titled


Following a 10", a 7", and a split 7" with Take the City, France's Bart and the Brats have unleashed their proper debut LP via two of the greatest punk record labels ever: No Front Teeth and Big Neck Records. And as expected, it's a smashing slab of wax! Bart and the Brats are the solo project of the prolific punk musician Bart De Vraantijk (Pneumonias, Wild Zeros, Teenage Hearts, The Janitors, etc.). With this project, Bart hones in on the classic '77 punk sound — taking equal inspiration from both sides of the Atlantic. If you dig The Kids, Zeros, the first two Ramones albums, and the tougher/snottier side of early U.K. punk, then Bart and the Brats will be right up your alley. You know I'm always a sucker for the classic '77 sound, and Bart really hits the sweet spot on these 12 ripping tracks. He knows how to write a rockin' punk tune that will get your head bobbing and your toes tapping. There's no fooling around here: every song gets the job done in two minutes or thereabouts, and then it's on to the next one. With this being a Bart De Vraantijk project, you know you're getting a little of that garage/budget rawness in the production and performance. But stylistically, this album is all about the sound of '77. Bart is a master at writing catchy tunes that are chock full of attitude, and he has delivered the goods on this self-titled release. If ever an album existed that needed to be co-released by Big Neck and No Front Teeth, this is the one!

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